2.

THE RETURN
By K. S. Maniam
SYNOPSIS
The Return is a story about Ravi, the narrator, whose grandmother and father migrated from India to
Malaya. The settle in Bedong, Kedah where the family runs a dhobi business. Ravi is sent to an English
school but this causes him to be alienated by the people around him. In spite of this, Ravi continues to
pursue an English education. His father?s business continues to expand.
nbsp;Later, he goes to England on a scholarship to do a two ? year teacher training course. When he
returns to Malaysia, he finds it difficult to adapt to his family?s traditions and customs. He is posted to
Sungai Petani as a teacher and rarely visits his home. His father eventually becomes mentally ill and
dies in fire

PHYSICAL SETTING
? Bedong, Kedah, which is surrounded by rubber estates.
? Bedong Group Hospital ? serves the community and the estate workers who live in longhouse
HISTORICAL SETTING
? The story is set in the 1940s when many Indians came to Malaya to works in the estates.
? We read the Japanese Occupation, the colonial era, the Emergency period, pre-independence years
through Ravi?s eyes
CULTURAL SETTING
? Most of the estate workers are from India and they brought with them their traditions and customs.
? The majority of these workers are poor, uneducated and therefore, they have to submit to the socially
superior class such as the one to which the Chief Dresser belongs
CHARACTERS
? Ravi
* Ambitious
* Hardworking
* Resilient
? Periathai
* Resourceful
* Resilient
* Courageous
? Kannan
* Hardworking
* Generous
* Determined
* Stubborn
? Karupi
* Strong ? minded
* Manipulative

* Capable
? Chief Dresser
* Respected
* Stritc
? Ravi?s Mother
* Quiet
* Sympathetic
* Protective
THEMES
? The role of education in self ? development.
? The search for personal identity
? The role of woman
? Class distinction and discrimination
? Growing up
MORAL VALUES OR MESSAGE
? One should strive to improve oneself.
? One should not give up easily
? One should act on one?s dreams